SOUTH BEND, Ind. _ Georgia Tech did enough to challenge No. 21 Notre Dame on Sunday night. But the Yellow Jackets made enough mistakes to cost themselves an upset.
Tech fell, 64-60, in a game it trailed for the final 28:56. While Tech shot a respectable 44.8 percent from the field, coach Josh Pastner agonized over a bundle of possessions squandered with turnovers and missed layups, two familiar pitfalls this season.
"When we miss those layups, it's literally days, maybe years off my life because it just eats at me," he said. "Because I know, every possession, we can't afford to miss those layups."
The Yellow Jackets (16-13 overall, 7-9 ACC) have surrendered just about all wiggle room to make their case for the NCAA Tournament selection committee. The Jackets had the opportunity for a road win over a RPI top-25 team and improve their RPI ranking (96 going into the game) by perhaps 15 slots.
With the loss, Tech may not be able to afford another defeat in its final two regular-season games, Tuesday at home against Pittsburgh in a quick turnaround and Saturday at Syracuse.
According to CBS Sports bracketologist Jerry Palm, in the 23 years that he has tracked tournament selections, only seven teams have earned at-large bids with 14 losses (which Tech would take with an ACC tournament loss). None have made it with 15.
Notre Dame (22-7, 11-5) was led by forward Bonzie Colson's 20 points, a total that included a 3-for-3 effort from 3-point range as he drew center Ben Lammers away from the basket.
